Morning journal and courier., 1887-12-13
CONNECTICUT OLD AND NEW.

The Subject fthe Paper by Rev. +. B.
 Sanford of WestbroOk Read Before the New Haven Colony Historical SO- ciety Last EVen1ng-A Tribute to the Late Rev. MT. Atwater.
 At eight o'clock last evening Professor s.
 E. Baldwin called tho meeting of the society and it's friends to order. The proceedings of the annual meeting on the 18th ut. were
 read and approved. At the directors meet
 ing held just before resolutions were sssed on the death of the late Rev. D. E. Atwater,
 member of the board, 8 very active promoter of the interests of the society, and contribu
 tor of many original valuable papers as well
 as books of the history of the colony and city.
 The president gave feeling address on the
 character and work of the deceased during
 his long life, and efficient support to the so- cisty. In introducing Rev. B. B. Sanford,
 the reader of the evening, he commended the
 recent history of Connecticut by MT. Sanford
 as very valuable and interesting. The per- sons landed at Plymouth who formed the colony of Massachusetts, said the speaker,
 were fewer than are daily landed from ships aS Castle Garden now, yet they with the colonists of Connecticut were among the leading families of this our great free nation. After according due credit and honor to the founders of Massachusetts, ikening them to springs of living water fed by the life giving principles of the Puritans, he named Thomas Hooker, The ophilus Eaton and John Davenport as fixing in Connecticut the birthplace of purer de- mocracy. With spiritual liberty they estab. 1;n1,oI o1s% oT1df foTT1 1oal X1aa
 stitution of free State government both at Hartford and in New Haven. The restriction in New Haven of the franchise at first to church members was outgrown and was due to careful guarding of the liberties of the new republic Two commonwealths at first, by their charter they were made the one free, in- dependent republic, founded on Gods word and the peoples will. The active part taken in the French war by the people of this State was mentioned and their captures and Vieto- ries at Quebec and Louisbourg demonstrated the possibility of an independent new nation. The part Connecticut took in framing and securing the United States constitution the speaker showed to have been the leading one, mentioning the names of Oliver Ellsworth, Roger Sherman and Samuel Johnson. For such part they were best fitted by their more than century of free government. To the Puritans is due the sacred sentiment that surrounds the family and the home From such homes grew our free and independent government He named the Historical so- -ciety as the preserver of this important rec ord The Connecticut reserve of six millions of acres made this State the founder of the western States. The many distinguished able men from our State were alluded to. Eighteen United States senators, twenty-six United States representatives, thirteen col Iege presidents and as many great generals. John Brown and the Beechers were named. The paper was one of the ablest ever read be- fore the society. It deserves publication in full Governor Bowers, President Baldwin and others spoke in highest commendation of the paper. The usual vote of thanks was cordially given. Adjourned at 9:30p. m.